Recent history of writing research introduces a treatise on the development of writing abilities in preschool age children. Topics include composing processes, an examination of research done on the function rather than the form of writing, and language variation among various ethnolinguistic groups. (JN)

The responses of students, asked to retell stories they had read, were studied through language miscue analysis. The research yielded insights in how readers: (1) predict the author's message; (2) form concepts essential for comprehension; and (3) relate stories to their cultural background. Implications for classroom instruction are discussed.…